Throttling is a technique whereby the frequency of an integrated circuit can be automatically adjusted either to conserve power or to reduce the amount of heat generated by the microprocessor and its associated components. Reducing the frequency of a microprocessor through throttling decreases the number of operations being performed by the microprocessor, thereby decreasing the microprocessor's energy consumption and heat production. Throttling is used in enterprise systems to control energy consumption, which may be subject to limits due to environmental concerns or electricity provider constraints, and to reduce heating in the area surrounding the enterprise system.